Life-saving buoy.



No. 665,924. Patented lan. I5, I90I.

.1. wlcmzla` LIFE-SAYING BUOY.

(Applicstion lad Har. 29 1900.) (No Manel.)

3 Sheets-Sheet I.

,lllllmsman l Y f/O Nu. 665,924. Patented 1an. |5,|9o|. .1. .1. Messi-:

LIFE SAVING BUOY.

(Application filed Har. 29, 1900.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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No. 665,924. Patented lan. I5, |90l.

J. J. M'cGEE.-

LIFE SAVING BUY.

(Application lqd Kar. 29, 1900.)

(llo Model.) 3 Sheets--Shee 3.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN JOSEPH MCGEE, OF JERSEY OITY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF TWO- THIRDS To WILLIAM H. sERvISS, OF SAME PLACE, AND ABRAHAM P. ZOLLER, OF FORT PLAIN, NEW YORK.

LIFE-SAVING BUOY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 665,924, dated January 15, 1901.

Application filed March 29, 1900. Serial No. 10,661. (No model.)

T all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN JOSEPH MOGEE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Life-Saving Buoy, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a life-saving belt; and the object of the same is to provide a sim- Io ple and effective means or device of this character of a light portable nature and adapted to be either suspended from a part of the body of the personwearing the same or attached to the garments and capable of being I 5 quickly intlated and so constructed as to render punctures ineffective in destroying the utility and one which will occupy a comparatively small amount Of space when deflated and also capable of being reduced to a compact zo form for storage about the person, and thereby always be in convenient position or reaching distance for quick application.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the Several parts, which :z5 will be more fully hereinafter` described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of-a life-saving belt embodying one form of the invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse vergo tical section on the line 2 2, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of a portion of the device shown by Fig. l. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the opposite extremity of the device shown by Fig. l and having applied the exhaust attachments. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of another form of the improved belt. Fig. 6 is a similar view of a still further modication in the construction of the improved belt. Fig. 7 is a transverse vertical section 4o of the form of device shown by Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a transverse vertical section of the forni of device shown by Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a perspective View of a circular or horseshoe form of the improved device similar to the form shown by Fig. l and embodying furthermodil ications in the construction andarrangement of parts. Fig. l0 is a sectional view of the device shown by Fig. 9.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts in the several 5o views.

The numeral l, Figs. 1 to 4, designates an outer body-covering of' Waterproof yielding material which is continuous from one extremity 2 to the opposite extremity 3 and 55 shaped into a cylindrical form or tube which is reduced and circumferentially banded at intervals, as at 4, and at points where a bend 'or break is liable to occur and interfere with the proper inflation of the same or in time 6o wear through and produce a leak. These interval reductions also facilitate the folding of the belt into compact form when deiiated Without injury to the texture of the material of which the belt is composed. As clearly shown by Fig. 2, this form of the belt is di` vided into four compartments 5 by intersecting diametrically-disposed partitions 6, each of which at the extremity 2 has a nipple 7 communicating therewith and provided with 7o a valve 8 and also attached to a circular supply-tube or rigid pipe 9, to one end of which an air-pump 10 is removably or permanently applied, and at the opposite end a iiexible pipe 11 is secured and supplied with a mouth- 75 piece l2,with a check-valve in the neck thereof. By this means it will be seen that the Several compartments 5 may be independently infiated by compressed air through the operation of the pump l0, or in the event that 8o the latter becomes detached and lost the tube 11 can be utilized for the same purpose by the wearer of the belt.` In the operation of iniiating the belt the several valves 8 will be Opened, and after the desired or maximum iniation shall have been obtained the said Valves are closed and the compressed air introduced or compressed within the belt can be regularly maintained in accordance with the demands of the user or the necessities 9o that may arise during the employment of the belt for life-saving purposes. The opposite extremity 3 of the belt has bowed exhaustpipes 13 applied thereto and one terminal of each in communication with one of the four compartments, a pair of said exhaust-pipes being used, and thereby providing means of exhaust for all the compartments. Each exhaust-pipe has a centrally-disposed outletvalve 14, which is normallyv closedA to prevent escape of the air and collapse of the belt when not desired. When it is intended to store the belt or after use ofthe latter, each of the valves 14 may be quickly opened to exhaust the improved device.

The belt set forth may be applied to the person of the wearer in any suitable manner, and suspending-straps or other attaching devices may be used in connection therewith, and to couple the two extremities the circular supplypipe has a cross-rod l5 secured thereto, to the center of whichy a couplinghook 16 is secured for separable engagement with an .eye 17, centrally connected to and held by a shank 18, fastened in the opposite extremity 3, and thereby provide means for causing the belt to snugly embrace the body of the wearer and which at times may be the only means necessary for holding the device in proper applied position.

In Figs. 5 and 7 a different form of the belt is shown and is normally stra'igh'eand likewise has reductions 19 at intervals for the same purpose as those heretofore described,

the body of this form of the belt being subs tantially similar, so far as material is concerned, as in the form heretofore described. In this form of the device, however, the belt is divided into two compartments 20 by an intermediate horizontally-disposed partition 2l, and at oneextremity nipples 22 are located and individually communicate with the compartments 20, andlike those hereto'- fore described are each providedfwith a valve 23, the outer portions of said nipples commu'- nicating'with the common feed-pipe. 24, having a flexible tube 25 attached to one end thereof, with a suitable mouthpiece 26 at its free extremity, inY a portion of which a checkvalve will be located for obviousv reasons. The opposite end 27 of the said feed-pipev 24 is adapted to have a pump permanently 'or removably attached thereto in amannersimilar to the first-described form, and atan in'- termediate point said feed-pipeis reduced to form a seat 28, with guard-shoulders 29' at opposite extremities thereof for a purpose which will presently be explained; .The'opposite extremity of this form ofthe belt is also provided'with exhaust nozzles or nipples 29, one for each compartment 20, and. each having a valve 30 for apparent purposes."

S'ecured'to the outer ,portion of the nozzles or nipples 29 are the opposite extremities `or terminals of a supporting-strip 31, to the center of which a snap-hook 32'is secured4 for engagement with the seat 28, formedat the center'of the feed-pipe 24, to thereby, render it'convenient for applying this form'of `be1t about the body of the wearer and securing it in the position desired.

In Figs. 6 and 8 a still further change'iu the construction is manifest, and inthe main particulars or features thisy form of the device is similar to that shown by Figs. 5 and 7 tance from' each other.

and comprises an elongated tubular body 33, divided into two compartments 34 by a horizontally positioned intermediately -located -partition 35, extending full length of the same,

and with each compartment at one end a feednipple36 communicates and is` provided with a controlling-valveV 37, both nipples in turn being attached to a single feed-pipe 38, having a exible tube 39 attached to one extremity, with a mouthpiece 40 at its free end, in which a check-valve of suitable construcpipe 38 is also intended to have a suitable mechanical air-compressing device attached thereto, as in the forms heretofore described,

Vand-so that the belt in this modified structure may be supplied with air or inflated by two dierent methods. The opposite end of this form of'd'evice has two val'ved exhaust-nozzles 4l securedthereto and individually communicating with the compartments 34 for relieving the latter ofv the contained air when it is desired to deflate the b'elt. Tothis form of the belt an inner band 42 of cloth or suitable material is attached by binding-bands 43, which also surround interval reductions 44 of the main body of the belt and which have the same function as similar constructionsheretofore referred to., The said inner belt 42 is arranged for attachmentto the articles of wearing-apparel ofy the user of this form ofthe device and will be preferably secured tov the lower part of the vest by any suitable means tohold the device in a predetermined applied position; To secure this form of the belt aroundthebo'dy of the wearer, one endof the' same hasY strap lengths 45 secured theretoand carryingbuckles 46, which are arranged for adjustable engagement by perforated straps4'7, attach'ped'to the opposite ends 'of theV belt, and'this additional fasteningmeans serves' as anefflcient auxiliary for holding the belt in position on thebody of the wearer.

IOO

IIO

In4 Figs. 9 and'l'O'V a' still further modified form of the improved device is shown and is of Vcircular or horseshoe form and comprises an' outer tube 48, of suitable'waterproof material', with closed ends 49 normally at a dis- Within the outer tube' 48 an' inner tube` 50 is loosely mounted, and exclusively connected' thereto at one end isa supply-nozzle 51, having a valve 52, and

also attached to' a feed-pipe 53, to one extremity of which a pump or compressor 54 is attached and'to the'opposite extremity a ilexible tube 55, having a mouthpiece, including a check-valve in its'A organization, theV said latter devicesv supplying means for inlating the inner tube 50 by two'methods, as heretofore explained. The opposite extremity of the inner tube A5.0 has a Valved exhaustnozzle 57 solely connected thereto, and from the immediately-foregoing explanation it will be understood that the inner tube 50 is inflated insideof theouter tube-48 and that-no air passes between. As a means of drawing IZO this form of the belt tightly around the body, one extremity has an attaching-strap 58 secured thereto and the other a buckle 59 to adjustably receive the said strap.

r rom the various torms that have been set forth it will be seen that the main purpose in view is to construct one or more compartments which will operate to prevent total disabling of the belt in the event that a portion becomes punctured or torn from any cause. In those forms of the device which particularly embody separate compartments it will be obvious that a puncture in one will not render the entire belt useless, and the remaining compartment or compartments will be su fticient to preserve its buoyancy and life-saving properties. In the form of the device shown by Figs. 9 and 10 a puncture of the outer tube or other injury thereto producing a leakage will not necessarily incapacitate the belt for further service,as it is proposed to make the inner tube of a more highly elastic nature,and thereby olfer greater resistance to puncture. Moreover, the several iniating and deflating attachments, as well as the modes of application, which are all simple and easily understood, provide conveniences for the user in quick application and preparation of the belt for buoyant service, and though the preferred forms have been illustrated and descriptively disclosed it is obviously apparent that changes in the form, proportions, size, and minor details may be resorted to without departing from the principle of the invention.

I-Iaving thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is* l. A life-saving belt having one or more longitudinally-extending compartments therein and in the form of an elongated cylinder closed at the free ends which are drawn close to each 'other when the device is applied, one or more iniating devices in one free end, and one or more exhausting devices in the other free end, whereby the exhausting and iniiating devices may be arranged adjacent to each other within the contines of the belt and in convenient position for operation by the wearer.

2. A life-saving belt having more than one longitudinally-extending compartment therein and in the form of an elongated cylinder closed at the free ends, independent iniiating devices for the compartments connected to a common air-supply means and located in one free end, exhaust devices for the compartments in the opposite free end, both inilating and exhaust devices being within the connes of the belt.

3. A life-savingr belt of elongated cylindrical form with closed ends and having a plurality of independent longitudinally-extending compartments therein,an iniiating-nipple communicating with each compartment and having a valve, all the nipples being located in one free end of the belt, a supply-tube connected to the nipples, and independent exhaust means for the compartments situated in the opposite free end of the belt.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN JOSEPH MCGEE.

Witnesses:

WM. G. E. SEE, CAROLINE L. CUE. 

